The best part: it’s free. And it’s yours. Helping everyday citizens claim lost money is one of the duties of the U.S. Treasury Department. You don’t need to hire a dubious service or spend money to make money. You are entitled to those funds. If anyone asks for payment to help you find unclaimed property, ditch them.

1. Start your search for missing money in your home state

Finding money is pretty simple, but your search depends on where you live. Each state has an independent treasury website, which has a special search function for unpaid dues. For example, if you live or lived in North Carolina, you can go to www.nctreasurer.com, click the "Claim your NC Cash" tab and select "search for your unclaimed property."

Each site is a little different, but follow the step-by-step instructions, enter your information, and the database will do the rest. As always, use a secure network; this is precisely the kind of data that cybercriminals love to gather and use against you.

To find the link for your state’s treasury website, go to Google and type unclaimed funds + state name. Make sure the treasury site is real (it should have a “dot-gov” address). There are plenty of scammers on the internet, and phony websites are definitely in the realm of possibility.

Pro Tip in a Tip: If you have a name that is frequently misspelled or has variations that are often confused (Schmid, Schmidt, Schmitt), search those misspellings on the unclaimed fund's sites as well.

2. Next, search for unclaimed property nationally

If you’ve lived or done business in many states, I recommend using MissingMoney, which is designed to connect you to the correct treasury departments.

MissingMoney is a free government search site. All the site asks for is your name and your resident state(s). Living in several places does complicate your search, so you may have to sift through the results; you will likely find other residents with the same name. But MissingMoney helpfully aggregates all this financial data in one place.

3. Check the IRS for unclaimed tax refunds

If you think the IRS might owe you money, you can file a claim to the IRS to update them about your new address. Additionally, if an employer withholds funds from you, the IRS gives you up to three years to submit a claim to collect the money you are owed.

If you haven't moved, and you're just curious where your refund is, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can explain exactly where it is and when you should expect to receive it.

4. Look for retirement funds

Every retirement plan is different, and things can get complicated if you move from one company to another. As a former employee, it’s your task to see whether past benefits or retirement savings can be transferred or cashed out. Similarly, pension plans and retirement benefits are controlled by different governmental sectors. If you need to search for what money you are entitled to, you can find either online.

Each website details how to collect your earnings, and you can expect to complete paperwork and to provide proof of your identity. You may even need to have signatures notarized. The time to collect depends on each government agency; it can take a couple of weeks or a couple of months, but it works.

Make it an annual practice to search for unclaimed funds. Do it on an anniversary, your birthday, Fourth of July, or some other important day that you’ll remember each year.

10 mistakes people make online

Ever click something in email or on the web and right afterward thought, “Boy, that was dumb.” You’re not alone. Every week on my national radio show, I take calls from people just like you who know better but make common tech faux pas. Whether you’re a seasoned tech pro or just getting the hang of this digital life, take a look at this list of 10 mistakes people make online, along with do-it-yourself security tips. Knowledge is power, and with today’s surge in online scams and crime, you have to stay vigilant.